(Brockville)
– A man who dedicated six decades of his life to the sport of rowing,
and an internationally recognized physicist, are this year’s inductees
into the Brockville Collegiate Institute(BCI) Hall of Excellence.

The late Craig Swayze, and Dr. Peter Stangeby were
inducted Saturday during the 2016 Brockville Collegiate Institute Hall
of Excellence and Faculty Awards Celebration, held in the high school
auditorium.

Swayze, who died in 2000, was a sports writer and
newspaper editor who grew up in Brockville and covered rowing events all
over the world, said presenter Pat Marshall at the ceremony. Much of
Swayze’s career was with the St. Catharines Standard. While in that
city, Swayze was heavily involved with the St. Catharines Rowing Club
and played a pivotal role in establishing rowing as a world-class sport
through the Royal Canadian Henley Regatta. He was also involved with
policy making through the International Rowing Federation and served as
chairman of the North American Rowing Championships.

The award was accepted on Swayze’s behalf by his daughter Dr. Kathy Swayze.

She
noted how her father cherished Brockville, its river and its railway
lines. She said if it hadn’t been for his two loves in St. Catharines –
rowing and Dr. Swayze’s mother – she might have grown up in Brockville.

“This
recognition would have blown my dad away,” Dr. Swayze said in accepting
the honour on her father’s behalf. “… He was so passionate about this
place.”

Dr. Stangeby is an internationally recognized physicist
who worked for more than 40 years in the University of Toronto’s
engineering department. The retired professor, who earned his doctorate
in plasma physics at Oxford University, was honoured for his work as a
leading authority on most aspects of the boundary physics of magnetic
fusion energy research devices. He has had a profound influence on the
field of fusion energy both through his own scientific work and through
inspiring and mentoring the next generation of researchers in the field.

In
accepting the honour, Stangeby did not discuss his academic or
professional accomplishments. Instead, he spoke of the joy he
experienced as a student at BCI – such as his numbered days as a gangly
youth on the football field, on stage with the drama club, and other
childhood memories.

He implored students gathered at the ceremony to live in the moment and appreciate their time at BCI.

During
an interview after the ceremony, he said he was honoured to receive
recognition from the school, noting his days at BCI were some of the
happiest of his life.

“University was like a cold shower,” he
said. “I have unrealistically fond and sentimental thoughts of my days
at BCI. It is glorious to get this recognition.”

The ceremony was
also used by BCI staff to present the Royal Military College Club of
Canada (Kingston branch) book award – won by Grade 12 student Corinne
Schonewille, and the school’s annual faculty awards.